Sometimes called a Death Doula, an End-of-Life Doula (EOLD) is non-medical support professional who acts as a companion guide to families and their dying loved ones to make informed decisions in a supportive environment around practical and emotional care—before, during, and after death.
While the role has “unofficially” been around for thousands of years, it’s a relatively new professional field, and has seen a rise in exposure in the past few years, especially through the COVID-19 pandemic. The role has been termed “the missing piece of the hospice mission…and a valuable supplement to end of life care” (Yoong, p. 795 – see Resources).
A doula can become involved at any time in a person’s life. We offer support when people want to plan for the future, are impacted by a life-changing illness, receive a terminal diagnosis, face imminent death, or after death to help with grief support for those left behind.
Doulas normalize deathcare by creating spaces to hold conversations leading to increased communication and spiritual and emotional well-being. When individuals plan for death, they have autonomy over their decisions and clearly define their end of life.
